by the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, and the President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Myung-bak

Joint Statement

On 5 March 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia and President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea met in Canberra.

The two leaders:

Acknowledging that the Australia-Korea relationship, forged during the Korean War, had developed into a broad-based partnership, including substantial trade and investment links and strong people-to-people ties;

Committing to further strengthen the relationship on the basis of shared democratic values, commitment to human rights, freedom and the rule of law, and mutual respect, trust and deep friendship;

Recognising that Australia and the Republic of Korea share key security interests in Northeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, with peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia, including the early resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, critical to the prosperity and security of both countries; and, in this context, confirming the strategic importance of their respective alliance partnerships with the United States;

Affirming the two countries' common purpose in working actively together, and with other countries through fora such as APEC, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, and the G20, to advance the development, stability and security of the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in the face of the international financial crisis;

Affirming also the two countries' commitment to cooperate together and with other countries through the United Nations and other multilateral institutions to promote and help ensure global security;

Recalling that during their meeting in August 2008, they agreed to explore opportunities to expand global and security cooperation;

Reflecting the extent to which Australia and the Republic of Korea already cooperate on a wide range of issues;

Have agreed to a comprehensive Action Plan for Enhanced Global and Security Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of Korea (attached), under which the governments of Australia and the Republic of Korea will:

Consult closely and meet regularly, including at ministerial level, to discuss matters of common strategic interest in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond and to continuously explore and develop opportunities for cooperation.

Cooperate more closely on law enforcement to combat transnational crime, including trafficking in illegal narcotics and precursors, people smuggling and trafficking, money-laundering, counterfeiting currency and arms smuggling, piracy and armed robbery against ships, and on border security issues.

Consult and cooperate bilaterally, and in regional and multilateral fora, on counter-terrorism issues, including on cyber-security and cyber-terrorism, and to advance the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

Continue to expand cooperation on global disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery through a range of mechanisms including the United Nations and its associated agencies and the International Commission for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.

Build on the established good level of strategic dialogue and cooperation between the two countries' defence forces by exploring opportunities for defence engagement in areas such as peacekeeping, civil-military cooperation, defence management, joint exercises, training and exchange programs and the establishment of linkages between the Asia-Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence and Korean institutions.

Conclude a bilateral agreement on the protection of classified military information that will enable the secure exchange of classified military information between defence organisations and related industry contractors, thereby facilitating further opportunities for practical defence and defence industry cooperation.

Promote greater cooperation between the Australian and Republic of Korea defence industries, including by exploring cooperation on Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, including through sharing information to assist in developing future enhancements; and by examining possibilities for cooperation on other defence industry and materiel procurement and maintenance activities.

Enhance cooperation on development and humanitarian assistance, including to promote achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and improve aid effectiveness.

Cooperate more closely on disaster and emergency preparedness, response and management.

Action Plan

Areas of Cooperation

1. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation and consultation on issues of common strategic interest in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Proposed activity

Australian Agency

ROK Agency

Purpose

Annual Foreign Ministers' meetings.

DFAT

MOFAT

High-level, regular consultations to deepen the bilateral relationship, including to continuously develop opportunities for cooperation under this Action Plan; and explore ways of addressing wider regional and global issues.

To exchange information on strategic matters, defence policy directions, and regional security; and to explore opportunities for further cooperation under this Action Plan.

2. Law enforcement to combat transnational crime, including trafficking in illegal narcotics and precursors, people smuggling and trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting currency and arms smuggling.

Proposed activity

Australian Agency

ROK Agency

Purpose

Continue to consult and where mutually agreeable enhance operational cooperation, as outlined in the June 2006 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the KNPA and the AFP on Combating Transnational Crime and Developing Police Cooperation.

AFP

KNPA

To increase operational cooperation and the exchange of criminal intelligence, and to develop intelligence linkages - all of which will, in turn, improve the speed and timeliness of engagement on key transnational crime issues.

Building on current AFP liaison out of Hong Kong, expand to include more A-based subject experts' visits to the ROK.

Facilitate more ROK law-enforcement training in Australia and the region.

AFP

KNPA

c) To help develop the investigations capability of ROK law enforcement agencies.

Work cooperatively together and with other Bali Process members to combat people smuggling and trafficking in persons in the Asia-Pacific region.

DFAT/
DIAC

MOFAT

d) To advance regional cooperation through the Bali Process on People Smuggling Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.

Customs bilateral mutual assistance, including personnel exchange.

Customs

KCS

e) To enhance the capacity of customs agencies to collaborate in areas of mutual interest.

3. Border security

Proposed activity

Australian Agency

ROK Agency

Purpose

Consult closely on implementation of APEC's Regional Movement Alert System (RMAS, a border security and counter-terrorism initiative currently involving Australia, New Zealand and the United States).

Continue to offer the ROK positions on the Australian Command and Staff College, and Defence Strategic Studies Course.

d) To provide ROK students with a unique opportunity to learn and establish relationships with Australia's future Defence leaders and exchange perspectives on defence and security issues.

Establish linkages between the Asia-Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence and Korean institutions; and identify opportunities for enhanced dialogue, exchanges of knowledge and collaborative education and training.

e)To develop further opportunities for defence engagement in peacekeeping, civil-military cooperation and defence management; and enhance both countries' capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond more effectively to disasters and conflicts overseas.

Enhance bilateral exercises during ship visits.

f) To develop strategic and operational inter-operability between naval forces.

Navy-to-Navy Talks in 2009-10

g) To develop naval ties and explore and develop opportunities for practical defence and naval engagement.

Airman-to-Airman Talks in 2009-10.

Defence

MND

h) To develop air force ties and explore and develop opportunities for practical defence and air force engagement.

i) To explore opportunities for future defence industry and materiel cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including Airborne Early Warning and Control.

j) Continue short-term fellowships for ROK students at the Australian Defence Force Academy and pursue options for Australian personnel to conduct short-term study at the Korean National Defence University (KNDU) or similar ROK institutions

Defence

MND

j) To improve professional and practical linkages between educational institutions, and provide students with unique opportunities for professional and academic development.

k) Explore options for KNPA officers to attend the AFP's International Deployment Group pre-deployment training facility.

AFP

KNPA

k) To assess KNPA interest in making use of the AFP's UN-accredited training courses, as a precursor to KNPA officers being deployed on UN missions.

7. Maritime Security

Proposed activity

Australian Agency

ROK Agency

Purpose

Consultation and closer practical cooperation on maritime security, including to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships, primarily through international fora such as the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).

DFAT

MOFAT

8. Development Cooperation, with a focus on humanitarian operations, including disaster relief and management

Proposed activity

Australian Agency

ROK Agency

Purpose

Bilateral and multilateral coordination related to development assistance.

AusAID

MOFAT/
KOICA

a) To improve aid effectiveness.

Conduct bilateral dialogue on disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response; and pursue opportunities for bilateral collaboration on training for disaster response management, or training for delivering humanitarian assistance relief in third countries.

AusAID

MOFAT/
KOICA/
NEMA

b) To coordinate Australia-ROK approaches to the development of regional disaster management mechanisms.